


A Lunch

by star_lili



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Humor, Lunch, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2013-07-22
Packaged: 2017-12-21 01:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/893953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/star_lili/pseuds/star_lili
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alphonse wants to talk to Mei normally again...Ling wants to help. (Hints of EdWin)</p>
<p>Disclaimer: It's obvious...not mine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lunch

**Author's Note:**

> I had found out to late about AlMei week so I decided to write a little ficlet for them. I seriously don't like the title, but I couldn't really think of another. So...here it is.

 

**A Lunch**

* * *

**  
**   


"I don't think she'll enjoy this Ling...especially if it's you idea..." Alphonse said unsurely... whatever the Emperor obviously had planned for both May and Alphonse this time had more thought to it than he originally told him... especially this particular Emperor.

"Oh! Come on now Alphonse. I'm pretty sure I have a good idea of what she finds appealing. I am after all her brother." Ling happily announced.

"Yeah...a brother who she smacks more than me..." Alphonse muttered under his breath. Ling raised an eyebrow at him and quickly put on a smirk.

"Oh well...I guess I can't really hope for some nephews soon with the rate this is going..." Ling sing-songed loud enough for Lan Fan, who was dutifully at his side, putting distance between the two men and herself. He even said the same phrase again for some of his Xingese servants to hear, loud enough for some turned heads. Alphonse quickly covered his mouth turning a bright shade of red, with a glower than can easily rival that of his brother's. Ling chuckled a little nervously. Even Lan Fan can be seen with a little shaken shoulders. Obviously she was chuckling softly behind that mask of hers.

"Not you too, Lan Fan." Alphonse pouted turning his face from Ling. The masked woman didn't answer, but turned her head to them nonetheless, at least acknowledging that she had at least heard him. Al sighed and took his palm away from Lings mouth.

He was nervous. He had just recently got into a relationship with the girl and it took a lot of guts to do it because of the Xingese court who didn't take relations between Xingese and foreigners lightly. Mei had introduced him to the highest elders in the court and Ling had happily supported the relationship and the elders supported it as well, but not without a little complaint here and there.

But that wasn't the problem...the problem was that Mei was upset at him. The reason being was that she and he only really got to spend time together was during his alkahestry studies. He had neglected her a little already, choosing to study his alkahestry a little more than to court her just a little.

And he cursed himself for it because he was doing such an Edward thing already.

So Ling proposed a picnic just for only Mei and himself. What she didn't know was that Alphonse was also coming along. She hadn't really been talking to him, avoiding him a little so he can get a clue. And he finally did...with the Emperor's help. 'I am my brother's brother.' he thought to himself scowling.

"All right...were here! Hello little sister!" Ling happily announced and ran to hug her. Mei's cheeks brightened a little and she averted her eyes from Ling.

"I told you not to call me that, Ling." Mei smiled, hugging him a little. Ling humphed and sat down on the blanket making his legs do a criss-cross shape.

"And  _I_  thought  _I_  told you to call me big brother. Have you forgotten?"

"And  _I_  never would call you that..." the Princess replied back simply "Hello, Lan Fan."

"Hello, Princess." Lan Fan replied .

She noticed Al and quickly averted her eyes from him when he decided to look at her.

"Hi, May." Alphonse timidly said. Mei looked at him again not one to be impolite.

"Hello, Alphonse..." Mei replied back. She didn't like being like this to him, but he had brought both of them to this state and she had to make him understand that she didn't only want to see him during their studies.

The golden-haired, young man saw that she had been reluctant to reply and sighed again, his head down as if in defeat. Ling saw this and quickly pulled Al to the blanket to sit, which the alchemist yelped at in surprise falling on his backside roughly. He glowered at Ling, who chose to smirk at the little displeasure. Mei just quirked an eyebrow at the odd behavior, but chose to ignore it.

Ling and Mei continued to do their accustomed routine in talking and discussing their day and it's happenings. Al tried to initiate talk to Mei as well, but she only gave short answers to his questions. This frustrated Al to no end, but he still chose to try and Ling also tried to bring Al in the conversations as well, while Lan Fan sat boredly, until Mei started to speak to her as well. Ling was a little frustrated too at the tension so he pushed Al to the ground which caused Al to try doing the same, not taking the odd abuse well, until Lan Fan decided to sit in between the two quickly, shooting both men a glare to which they laughed nervously.

"Okay, why don't we all start to eat then? We've have been conversing for a while now. I don't want to go back to my studies without a bite to eat." Mei announced, trying to get the men to stop acting childishly. Now hearing about the food, Ling quickly diverted his attention away from Alphonse and Lan Fan to the wicker basket. His mouth watered and suddenly he felt very hungry. Lan Fan looked at her King and sighed. He obviously had forgotten of the plan he had told her earlier, so now seeing that he had his attention elsewhere instead of the arrangement, she quickly tapped at his shoulder.

"My Lord, I hope you haven't forgotten of your meeting with your head servants, as you have arranged earlier in the day." she said behind her mask. Ling looked at her oddly. Then he had remembered of his plan that had to be set into motion  _'But the food!'_  his mind had screamed. His stomach also growled in protest and he looked at Mei who looked at him quizzically as well as Alphonse who quirked a brow.

"Ah, well you see, I'm very well famished as it is Lan Fan. Emperor work you know. Hehe." He rubbed the back of his head nervously and he felt Lan Fan glower at him.

"I'm sorry my Liege, I didn't know that ' _Emperor work'_ had you at this state, but I suppose that your complaint should be made to the kitchen staff. They should serve you a larger portion in your mealtime. So if you will, come with me and we will alert the head staff in the meeting." Lan Fan proposed, but behind the words, she demanded that Ling flee the scene and stick to the plan he had originally told her and that Alphonse had no knowledge of. Ling felt goose bumps and stood up quickly making an apologetic look to his younger sister.

"I'm sorry, Mei, but I must attend to my duties." he sighed, then grinned mischievously to Alphonse. "But Alphonse will stay to keep you company"

"Uh. Ling I-"

"I insist, Alphonse, you must stay and taste my sister's food. Did I tell you that she's a fine cook? Come Lan Fan." he called to the girl and she quickly followed him while he trotted to the palace.

The air filled with silence and Alphonse can feel the negative energy from the girl that made his hair stand on end.

"Oh! That Ling! I ought to wring his neck!" Mei yelped already planning revenge on her brother for leaving her alone with Alphonse.  _'Speaking of which'_  she thought. She quickly turned to him and he jumped at her immediate action. "Did you go along with this as well?" she asked displeased. Al shook his head quickly.

"N-no way! I'm just as upset as you are. Well maybe your more upset than me..." he trailed off as she glowered again.

The air was filled with silence again and Mei sighed. Obviously Ling had worked to put them up to this so she might as well just eat the food with Alphonse no matter if she was upset or hurt or whatever.

"Alright then there's no use for this food to waste right?"

"Wait, Mei I want to talk to you first..." Alphonse quickly jumped in putting his hand on her shoulder. Mei looked at his hand and he quickly took it away like if she scalded him. He swallowed.

"I didn't mean to make it seem like I made the studies seem more important than you Mei." Al said softly and May continued to listen patiently. "I just, well you may think it to be silly or maybe ridiculous..." He trailed off.

"Alphonse...you can tell me anything." Mei urged seriously thinking that maybe it was serious. Al nodded and continued.

"Well to be honest...I feel that I'm not really that...uh," Al thought that maybe he shouldn't have voiced it now, but he had started the conversation so now he had to continue it, "You've liked me when I was in the armor right?" Mei nodded. "Well you see, I'm not in my armor anymore and to be honest, because of that...am I still the same to you. I mean...do you still like me without my armor?" Al asked timidly and quickly. His cheeks turned a pink hue and turned even more so when Mei started giggling, trying to stifle them.

"I told you it was ridiculous!" He all but yelled and Mei's giggles turned into light chuckles. Then she did something that totally went unexpected. She flicked his forehead.

"Ow! Mei!" he yelped and she shook her head and embraced him and his cheeks again turned into their pink color. "Mei...?"

"Alphonse your still great! Even without the armor and yes, everyone still likes you! I even still love you without it!" She scolded a little, breaking their embrace ,"Your still the same person and I'm sure everyone can and will tell you that." She clarified.

"Do you really feel that way?" He asked hopefully and she nodded to him, holding his hand. The weight in his stomach had lifted now and he felt a whole lot lighter. He didn't know why he had felt like that. His brother and him had the same argument when they were recovering in the Rockbell house, but maybe it was because Mei had known him in the armor first and not as his flesh self. Because despite of the armor that was void of any outward emotions, she still cared for him and liked him. She wasn't afraid, like most girls were. Well besides Winry and Hawkeye and any other women he knew that weren't afraid of him or treated him differently; except they don't have any romantic interest in him or hadn't any when he was still in the armor.

He turned to her and she smiled so sweetly to him and he smiled back.

"Is that the reason for you avoiding me a little, Alphonse?" She asked and he nodded.

"But that doesn't matter anymore and I'm sorry that it seemed like the studies were more important. I like spending time with you Mei. You are more appealing than text and diagrams after all." He scoffed and she blushed a little still smiling at him. Then her look turned into one of guilt.

"I'm sorry that I was being cruel to you Alphonse. If I had known, then I would've-"

"It's okay Mei. After all, I kind of deserved it. The only person who should do such a thing is my brother. Though I doubt he still does that habit." He said a little shuddering at Edwards letters of admiration for a certain blonde mechanic. Really he did not want to be reading such "intricate details" of how certain "things" were better than alchemy. He rolled his eyes at the wording in one letter where he ignored almost half the letter. He probably now understood of what Edward had been griping about when he himself wrote some letters about Mei.

Mei laughed and he chuckled also. It was silent again and he remembered one detail she had said. He suddenly had her in his arms and she gave a squeak of surprise, feeling the strong arms that now embraced her.

"I love you too Mei." he said kissing her forehead, most of the shyness ebbing away now. She chuckled lightly and nestled her head under his chin.

"So I'm guessing that your still upset at Ling?" he asked playfully not really expecting an answer, but he felt her shake her head.

"No, but I'm probably sure some malice will return in another occasion, after all we are talking about my brother. I'm kind of glad he did what he did." She sighed out and he mentally agreed with her, but still wanted to voice it.

"Me too.". He looked around a little "Where is Xiao Mei?" he asked.

"She doesn't take to my brother well and she is actually taking a nap in my room." she explained to him. He nodded in understanding and they continued in their happiness eating away some of Mei's lunch of three.

* * *

Lan Fan sighed once again as her Emperor continued sulking in his throne room, after having the staff meeting that he thought was a sham at first and then realizing as soon as he entered his throne room there had actually been a number of head staff there. He had looked at her then so wearily and she felt a little guilty that she tore him away from some of the Princess' provisions.

"I'm famished, Lan Fan. Why didn't you tell me that the meeting was actually scheduled? I thought it was supposed to be a lie." He griped, slouching in his designed chair of slender red dragons and gold carvings of waves and lotus flowers.

"My Lord, If you want, I could ask the head chef for more provisions in your meal, but you could've voiced it in you conference." A hint of amusement in her voice. He huffed, rubbing his palm down on his face and then crossing his arms.

"Alphonse owes me lunch, if he asks for her hand."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Read and Review


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